Portsmouth, Virginia, USA — 25 July 1813
A letter to Thomas Jefferson
Carpenter Edward Hansford wrote to Jefferson on July 31, 1813 to describe the object which he and a Baltimore citizen named John L. Clark had witnessed: “A Ball of fire as full as large as the sun at Maridian (sic) which was frequently obscured within the space often minutes by a smoke emitted from its own body, but ultimately retained its brilliancy, and form during that period, but with apparent agitation. It then assumed the form of a turtle which also appeared much agitated and as frequently obscured by a similar smoke. It descended obliquely to the West, and raised again perpendicular to its original hite (sic) which was on or about 75 degrees. ” Edward Hansford lived in Norfolk County during the Revolutionary War, working on forts erected by the Commonwealth. In 1802, he was appointed harbormaster for the District of Norfolk and Portsmouth.
Source: “Edward Hansford to Thomas Jefferson, July 31, 1813” in The Thomas Jefferson Papers Series 1. General Correspondence, 1651-1827. Library of Congress, Digital Archive “American Memory” (image 1031) http://memorv.loc.gov/ammem/collections/iefferson_papers/index.html 391. Case: W343